Manly Men
by xElementFivex
Summary: Good mafia men are too manly to go on dates. And Mello is nothing if not manly. Sort of.


**This is my first one shot that isn't completely angst ridden, so I'd love it if you'd leave a comment telling me what you think of my fluff writing.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing at all.**

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"You want what?"

"I dunno," Matt grumbled, keeping his eyes carefully trained on the computer screen in front of him. "Just thought maybe we could, you know… since we're dating and all, we could… go on a date… or something like that…"

"I don't do dates."

Matt didn't reply; instead concentrating on the series of numbers scrolling across the page. He was sitting in front of one of the many computers in the abandoned building that Mello and his mafia cronies had recently set up camp in. For the moment, the large space was empty, with the exception of himself and Mello. Most of the other men had been sent on various errands and Matt was glad for the relative isolation; he had only recently begun to work at the headquarters, and being around all the mafia thugs didn't exactly make for the least stressful work environment. If not for the close proximity to Mello, he would have preferred to work from his apartment as he had been doing in the previous weeks. But as the nature of his work delved into more and more high level security files, Mello had thought it best he begin working from the computers at the hideout.

"Besides," Mello spoke up again, adding onto his previous statement. "What do you think we'd do anyway? Go to dinner while more and more criminals are dropping dead every hour? Check out a movie while Near gets closer to finding Kira first?"

"I see your point," Matt grumbled, regretting he'd ever asked Mello for a date in the first place.

"Not to mention," Mello continued, flipping the page on a police report of some of Kira's latest victims, "What exactly am I supposed to tell the guys? 'Oh sorry, can't be the mafia boss tonight. I'm off to have a tryst with my very _male _lover.' They already doubt my leadership enough as it is for being so young. Can't have them thinking I'm gay too. I'll never get any respect."

Matt sighed. "How very blunt."

"No," Mello corrected, "How very _true."_

"So," Matt punched in a quick series of numbers on the keyboard and then swiveled his chair around to look at Mello. "What if I were a girl? Would you take me on dates then?"

"No."

"Well, why not?"

Mello flipped another page and settled more deeply into the couch. "I already told you, Matt. I don't do dates. Besides," he kicked his feet up onto the table in front of him, "if you were a girl, then you wouldn't be Matt, and I wouldn't be dating you."

"What lovely circular logic," Matt sighed and turned his chair to face the computer again. Once his face was no longer visible to Mello, he grinned. Matt knew Mello well enough to know that it was the closest the blonde would ever come to outright admitting how much he loved Matt. Matt wore his emotions on his sleeve most of the time, and it wasn't always easy for him to be with someone like Mello, who insisted on appearing as emotionless as possible. Little moments like that were precious to Matt. In his own weird way, it was Matt's way of reaffirming that Mello loved him. And for now, it was enough, no matter how matter how dateless their relationship remained.

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A week later Matt was awoken from some much needed sleep by the sound of Mello's voice calling for him from the main room. The hacker had pulled two all-nighters in a row trying to break into some seriously high profile government files, and wanted nothing more than to sleep for a week.

"Maaaaaaattttttttttttt!"

Matt groaned in frustration and squinted at his watch. It was seven o' clock in the evening. The last few feeble rays of twilight were leaking in through the blacked out windows and into the makeshift room he was sleeping in. Maybe if he didn't answer, he would get lucky and Mello would give up trying to call him. Then he could drop back into blissful slumber and-

"Maaaaattttttt! Get your ass in here!"

No such luck. Matt pulled himself off the worn loveseat with a resigned sigh and gave his pillow one last wistful glance before shuffling his way into the main room.

"What do you--" Matt punctuated his sentence with a yawn, "--want, Mello? It better be damn good. I'm fucking exhausted."

The blonde was sitting on his usual place on the couch; booted feet crossed and propped up on the table in front of him, flipping through yet another file while a stack of them sat beside him. As Matt watched, he snapped the file he was reading shut and picked up another.

"Well?" Matt prompted, slightly annoyed that Mello had woken him up and now wasn't even bothering to deign him with a response. "What the hell do you want? And," Matt took a good look around the room, "why are the lights off? Where is everybody?"

"I sent them out," Mello said, not lifting his eyes from his work.

"What for?"

Mello didn't reply. Matt sighed; he was getting fed up rather quickly.

"Are you going to ans-- wait a second," Matt's attention was drawn to the TV set up a little way in front of the couch. What looked like the opening credits of a movie were playing. Matt was startled; he had been there for two weeks and had never seen the TV play anything but the news, so that Mello could keep tabs on Kira's latest victims. "Mello, are… are you watching The Princess Bride?"

"Shut up," Mello grunted, tightening his fist threateningly around the file, "It's a classic, alright? Besides," he added quietly, "It's one of your favorites, right?"

Matt smiled. "Yeah, it is."

For a moment neither of them spoke, and the sound of Wesley declaring his love for Buttercup on the television was the only noise.

"Well, what the hell are you waiting for, Matt? A printed invitation? Sit the fuck down and watch the movie."

Matt grinned so wide it felt like his face might split and quickly hopped over the back of the couch to land next to Mello's pile of papers. He returned his face to what he hoped was a more nonchalant expression when Mello suddenly reached over next to the table and pulled a pizza box out to thrust it in Matt's direction.

"Here," Mello said harshly, "You haven't eaten dinner today, right?"

Matt accepted the pizza box gladly and answered, "No, I haven't. Thanks."

They watched the movie in silence for a few minutes, Matt chewing on a slice of pizza and Mello flipping through more papers and occasionally stealing sidelong glances at Matt.

"So," Matt reached for another slice, "dinner and a movie. Does that make this a date?"

"I. Don't. Do. Dates." Mello barked at Matt. Matt chuckled to himself and took a bite of pizza. He didn't care whether or not he could officially call it a date; he was just happy it was happening at all.

Two hours later, the pizza was completely devoured and the closing credits were beginning to roll across the screen. Mello picked up his stack of files, and without any kind of ceremony, pushed himself off the couch and started towards his private room.

Matt wasn't surprised. Mello did what he felt like doing and just let everyone else adjust to his schedule. But before Mello had made it completely away from the couch, Matt stopped him. "Hey, Mello?"

The blonde shot him a look that clearly said 'I'm too busy for this'. "What?"

"Thanks for the da--" Mello's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I mean thanks. Just thanks."

Mello continued to glare at him for a moment, and then quickly, so quickly that Matt almost missed it, his gaze softened and he knelt down to whisper in Matt's ear. "You're welcome, Matt." Mello planted a soft kiss on Matt's temple and then straightened up. Still clutching the stack of papers, he exited the room, at the last moment throwing over his shoulder, "But you better not get used to this, I swear to God. I don't do dates."

Matt was still smiling long after Mello had left the room. So what if Mello didn't do dates? Matt was fine with things just the way they were.

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**Reviews? I'll love you forever.**

**Beta-ed by: Emo-Nerdy-Insane-Writer**


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